Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-05

"hch rtsuiteu IN tue loss OF so many lives
and the destruction OF thousands OF dollars
worth OF property. Although the conduc.
tor must have known that he was en-.
cioaching dangerously near the time OF
the express, he did not send out a
signal until after his train had come
TO standstiIl, and he found It
impossible to move further. He then
started forward with lantern him
sell. AT this point there is sharp curve,
and Conductor Fletcher had not proceeded
more than the length Of twenty cars when
he saw the headlight OF the approaching
express rounding the curve, not more than
forty rods distant, and running at the light
ming speed OF
sIxTY.THRRE MILES PER HOUR.
HorrOr-stricken with tie knowledge that
a irightful accident could not be ayerted
he flashed his light In the face OF Engineer
Lem. Eastman. The latter at the same
moment saw the light 81 the freight-engne,
and, giving a wild shrek OF the whistle for
brakes. be reversed bis engine and jumped
for his life, crashing through the window
OF the cab, carrying glass and sash
with him, and alighted in a heavy
snow-drift. He escaped serious injury,
bis hurts being confined to slight wound
upon the knee. As he realized the Danger,
ne called 10 his fireman, William Frede-
ricks, TO save himself. 1he latter was en-.
gagged In sloking the fire, and raised up
moment and hesitated 10 glance forward.
as II to estimate the danger. THIS was
fatal, as at that instant the crash came aud
poor Fredericks was pinned and crushed
by the mass OF the wreck.
THE EFFECT or THE COLLISION
oor no haitian ;unaoipad than dosor;bad
| The engines Of the two trains reared into
the air like a pair Of enraged living mon-
sters, and then settled down upon the
track, driven into each other, until their
| cy finders touched. The force Of the inn
| pact jammed the baggage car into
the tender Of the fast train, the eXpress-car
into the baggago-car, and the smoker
| into the express. In less time than five
| minutes from the moment OF the collision
and before any organized effort at rescue
| could be made, the fire OF the overturned
| stoves communicated 10 the wood work. and
| the flames ieaped up IN the air, their r0sr
miDging with the cries OF anguish OF the
| imprisoned victims. TO whom death in Its
most terrible form was a hOrrid
| presence. I he trainmen and the uniniured
| passengers were pOwerless and could do
nothing to rescue the sufferers. The ex-
| press train was in charge OF Conductor
| Tom Haskell, Eng ineer Lem. Eastman, and
| Fireman William Frederick, and consisted
| Of Engine 726, the mail and baggage car.
| express, smoker coach, and two sleep
eTs. The freight train was in charge
| OF Conductor Fletcher, Engineer Killer.
and Fireman w. j. CullisOn, aud consisted
Of Engine 02j and sixteen loaded and a
few empty gOndolas. The smoker con-
al ft.F ttrs.fts ~.
some OF whom were immigrants. Three
men escaped alive. but their names were
not learned.
THE KILLED AND INJURED.
Baggage Master w. +. Gates, OF Newark,
was the only man in bis car, and was hurt
In both legs, his left leg being cut'in seye.
raj places, and a splinter or a rod had run
into his right foot.
G. Z. Bradley, OF Washington. ID. c.,
was found hanging from the window OF
the smoker; but his lees were fast, and he
could not be removed. There he remained
until he was burned TO death and his charred
remains fell to the ground black and
shspClesS mass. He was conscious and gave
his address TO the bystauders, and also said
that he was an officer Of the knights Of
Labor organization. He gave his watch
and the other valuables he could get from
his pockets to Conductor Fletcher, OF the
. freight train. Joseph PostethwaIte, aged
6fly.seyen, and his sons Spencer, aged
eighteen, and Henry. aged eleven, were sit
ting in the same seat in the smoker, and
their charrcd remains were found in the
ruins Of the cars.
Mr.. POstethwaitc, his wife, two boys,
seyen-year old girl by former wife, lit
tie boy OF five years, aud a baby girl OF two
years, had sold their farm OF $50 acres in
Wetzell county, w. Va, and were moving
TO Chillicothe, Mo-, near where POstle-
thwaite had brother living, and where he
would make his future home. He had
about $500 in cash, \ check for
5000, and several notes in his pocket, and
these were burned with his body, leaving
the poor widow with three children, no
clothing except what she wore, and fifty
cents in money, Her husband and two
boys had lCft her but few moments before
and gone from The coach to the smoker.
Postleihwaite, rs half-melted medal found
in the wreck indicated, was a soldier in the
Union ranks in the late war, being men,
Der Of Company a, Seventeenth regiment
West Virginia volunteer infantry. Will
liam FrederCks, fireman OF the express,
was caught between the tender aud engine,
and lived for two hours, but it was found
impossible TO effect his release. His mother
Is a widow, and lives in Washington, ID. {.
lie was a member OF the Brotherhood OF
Firemon, which organization took charge
Of his remains. His face IN death depicted
the agony OF his suilerings before death
came 10 his relief.
NJ. II. Parks, whose address could not
he learneC, was also wedged in the wreck
nd lrrnn1 70 1aafb pftar handing hi.
money, letters, and cards TO one Of the rail-
road employees. His body was also con-
sumed, rs were those OF several Others
whose names are not known, and perhaps
never will be.
A HEARTRENDING SCENE.
The scene at the Chamberlain under
taking establishment at Republic was one
calculated to make the stOuteSt hearts
quail. Ten shapecSs trunks ~ human be.
ings were stretched out in a row like so
many charred logs. There was Mr.. POStle.
thWalte and the two sons side by side,
add seven others, none OF whom could be
recognized, and near them mass of flesh
and bone that may have been parts
OF bodies OF a dozen different people.
There were, no doubt, many more who
persisted in the wreck, as the number OF
persons who escaped and the remains reco-
yeIed is not equal 10 the number repOrte
in the smOking-car. The number actually
lost may never be known. A number Of
watches were found in the wreck.
A DRUNKEN ENGINEER.
CmCAGo, January IA special TO the
D0iiy AetcS from Titiin, Ohio, says: Con-
ducicr Fletcher SAYS that the engineer OF the
freight train was drunk. His name is
Killer and he is now ut Chicago June
ton. The piles OF ashes and debris
now 10 be seen at the place OF
the collision are full OF bones, remains
of jewelry, and melted silver money.
Ten of the killed are utterly unknown.
An old gentleman named Ferguson, of
Bloomdale, left Pittsburg on the express
and has not since been heard from. His
son was tonight looking among the burned
masses and ashes 10 tiud something by
which to identity one Of the black humps
as his father.
The coroner Of Seneca county has not
yet begun regular examination OF wit
nesses.
WHERE TUE BLAME RESTS.
The blame seems to be with the crew oi
the freight train.
AT least fifteen were killed, but the only
names known are James POstethwaite
and two sons, Spencer and Henry,
OF Bolton, w. Va; VI. IL. Parks,
of Washington, u. c.; Fredericks, fireman
OF the passenger train; Price, the express